Bitten by the Designing Bug

by Gail Jones
(San Bernardino, Calif. USA)

Buckeye Butterfly

I started cross stitching when I was in high school, back in the late 1970's.

I wanted to stitch butterflies and moths but the only patterns I could find were taken from dead pinned specimens. I wanted patterns from live, more vividly colored insects in natural poses. So, carefully catching my own subjects and working with them, without harming them. (They were released later), I had my dad photograph them.

Then working from a large notebook paper sized photo, with clear graph paper laid over it, I began to write up my design and stitch it as I went along. I did three designs that way; with each one taking about 3 months to complete.

That was my first, non computer helped foray into designing.

After that, I didn't pick up designing again until about 5 or 6 years ago, when the designing bug bit again. Then when I found computer software to help design, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! It was so much easier to come up with patterns with the help of a computer.

Later I stumbled on X-Calibre's blackwork patterns and absolutely fell in love with the idea of blackwork.

Now I want to design that too and have already gotten started with a few patterns.

I also have Carol's book on blackwork and intend to start stitching her lessons within a couple of weeks.

Carol you are so helpful when I have questions. Thank you! I wish learning in school had been as much fun as learning from you. :)

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The best design inspiration
by: Carol

Gail,

Thanks for sharing one of your beautiful butterflies with everyone here along with your inspiring story.

Please keep asking questions, and I will help whenever I can.

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